Portable drum kit



June 20, 1967 R. J. OSTY ET AL 3,326,074

PORTABLE DRUM KIT F iled June 27, 1966 42F N N R. 45 1 V15 T0 43F RICHARD a OSTY BY VICTOR M. MOR/E ATTUR/IVE Y5 United States Patent Filed June 27, 1966, Ser. No. 560,549 12 Claims. (Cl. 84-411) This invention has as its principal object the provision of a drum practice kit comprising a portable carrying case containing a plurality of simulated percussion instruments familiarly known as Drum Pads, together with supporting means therefor of novel character forming part of the case and adapted to be erected to operative position when the case is set upon a floor in open condition, the drummer 'being seated before the array of simulated drum instruments and being able to practice under conditions which are sutficiently realistic for purposes of study or rehearsal without the noise and inconvenience of setting up an actual band array. The kit is especially advantageous, economical and realistic for the student; but it is equally useful to the accomplished drummer for practice and rehearsal purposes.

Among the more detailed features of the device are the utilization of the top of the carrying case as a sounding head for simulating the base drum, together with the structural means for accomplishing this; and extensively adjustably supporting means for the individual drum pads, all contrived to render the various practice components easily stowable within the confines of the case.

Still more detailed aspects of novelty and utility inherent in the invention relate to details of the construction and operation of the kit and its components, all of which will appear more fully as the following description proceeds in view of the annexed drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the kit in open condition with various practice percussion components in operative position;

FIGURE 2 is a further perspective view of the case in open condition but showing certain components removed and some of the supporting standards stowed or in changed positions;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the underside of one of the drum pads;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged elevational fragment of one of the drum-pad pivots with parts of the pad shown in section, the view being taken along lines 44 of FIG- URE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional detail of the pivot structure taken along lines 55 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of one of the drum pad clamps and supporting standards, taken along lines 66 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged sectional detail of one of the standard clamps, taken in the direction of lines 77 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 8 is a magnified fragmentary detail of one of the open-sided support footing passages in a case wall;

As viewed in FIGURES 1 and 2, the drum practice kit comprises a portable container consisting of :a bottom or main case section 10 provided with surrounding sidewalls 11, together with a closure or top section consisting of a large sounding panel 12 provided with surrounding rim or sidewall portions 13, said top section being pivotally joined to the case section as by hinge means 14 so that it may be disposed in an erect or opened angular relationship to the bottom section and be firmly maintained therein by folding brace means 15 for its dual functions :as a supporting means and a percussion device. Snap clasps 16 are provided for securing the top in closed rela tionship with the case section in its portable state.

Both the case and top sections define cavities in which 3,326,074 Patented June 20, 1967 certain practice instrumentalities and adjustable supporting means therefor may 'be operatively disposed and stowed. The simulated percussion instruments provided will ordinarily include a snare drum pad 18, a floor tom 19, a tom or tenor drum pad 20, a cymbal disc 21, and a beater or base drum means 50, 51, 55 afiforded by the sounding panel 12 of the erected top section.

Each of the drum pads comprises a rigid circular disc member 17 (FIGURES 1, 3 and 4), which is provided on its underside (FIGURES 3, 4 and 5) with a supportengaging cleat means 23 in the form of a plate affixed thereto, as at 23A, and having at one side an offset flange 24 provided with an arcuate slot 25 (FIGURE 4) which is traversed by the shank of a wing bolt 26 threading (FIGURE 5) into the flattened tapped upper end portion 27A of a vertical support rod 27.

Located concentrically of the arcuate slot 25 is a snapin pivot pin 28 having a flared rim at its end forcibly fitting with snap action into a receiving bore 29 formed in said cleat, by means of which the pad or disc member attached thereto may be removed from the rod member by unscrewing the wing bolt and lightly forcing the snap-in pivot pin from its bore, this action being useful at times for stowing or substitution purposes and also to facilitate a reversal of the cleat in engagement with the rod end for maximum possible adjustment of the practice pad, cooperatively with adjusting means, according to the preference of the user.

As seen in FIGURES 1 and 6, the lower end of each pad-supporting rod member 27 telescopes into a tubular upright 30 having at its lower end an offset foot portion 31 adapted to be pivotally secured in a special clamping means to be described.

Means for securing the telescoping pad-supporting rods in positions of adjusted elevation in their respective tubular uprights, comprises the clamp depicted in FIGURE 6 and consisting of an angle lug 33 having a bore 34 embracing the elevating rod 27, together with a wing bolt 35 threading into the angular offset of this lug in a position to be tightened against the uppermost end of the tubular support when the upper rod member is elevated to the desired position.

Means for securing the lower offset foot portion 31 of each tubular upright in adjusted positions comprises the unique clamping means shown in FIGURE 2 and consisting of a pair of clamps 40 joined as a unit by an elongated angle bar 47 (FIGURE '7), as by spot-weld ing thereto.

Each clamp 40 is preferably formed as a one-piece stamping from moderately thin or springy strip stock, these clamps having the structural characteristics seen in the sectional view of FIGURE 7 wherein an elongated portion of said metal stock is turned back upon itself to form an upper arm 42 and a lower arm 44 joined together by an intermediate bight portion 43, the lower am being somewhat longer than the upper. Portions of the metal along the opposite sides of each said arm are turned down to form depending side flanges 42F and 44F respectively, the confronting longitudinal edges of the juxtaposed flanges being separated by a narrow clearance space 45 such that the upper arm 42 can flex downwardly toward the lower arm with a flexure axis alforded by said bight portion.

A circular passage 46 is defined through both flanges of both upper and lower arms in such manner that approximately one-half of the passage is formed in each of the confronting flanges forming a juxtaposed pair along corresponding sides of the clamp, the resultant nearly round passage 46 being substantially of the diameter of the outside of the foot portions of the supporting rods or tubes, 30, in consequence of which the said foot portions may be slidably inserted into said passages 46 for positioning in the manner seen in FIGURE 2.

The upper and lower arms of each clamp 40 are bored to pass an appertaining clamp screw in the form of a wing bolt 48 which threads into an insert stud 49 fixed in the bottom wall of the case (FIGURE 7), it being evident in the latter view that by turning the screw means in, the respective juxtaposed arcuate margins of the pairs of circular passage formations in the flanges are drawn upon the tubular wall of the foot portion 31 of the corresponding supports or standards, and will seize the tubing with extraordinary force owing to the relative edgewise thinness of the side flanges which act in the manner of knife-edge pincers. Thus, with very little effort and turning at the clamping screws 48, a positive holding action is achieved at spaced points between the confronting pairs of side flanges 42F and 44F at opposite sides of each individual clamp member 40.

The threaded studs 49 are spaced to correspond to the predetermined spacing of comprise each set, as determined by the length of the tie bar 47 joining them, so that when one wing bolt is started in its corresponding threaded stud 49, the remaining clamp of the set is automatically spaced for easy insertion of its wing bolt in the appertaining stud. Moreover, each clamp set can be reversed 180 degrees from the full-line position shown in FIGURE 1 to the dotted-line position seen in FIGURE 1 for alignment purposes to appear.

An important feature of the kit is the provision of means for increasing the range of lateral separation between the drum pads beyond the confines of the case, for example, as between the lower pair of pads 18 and 19, or between the upper pair 20 and 21 (FIGURE 1),

such means including the placement of aligned sidewall passages 60, each preferably fitted with a metal box grommet 61, and situated for alignment with the clamping passages 46 in corresponding clamps 40 in each clamp set in the aforesaid 180-degree shifted position thereof, whereby the foot portions 31 of the pad standards can be entered through the casing or closure wall from the outside thereof into supporting engagement with the clamping means, as depicted in FIGURE 1 at 31X with the respective footing portions thereof clamped internally of the case or top cavity.

A further feature of the pad supporting means is provided in the passages 601 for the top or lid, wherein the passages open as at 64 (FIGURE 8) into and through the margin or edge of the sidewall member in which they are situated, as particularly shown in the magnified detail illustrated in FIGURE 8 wherein these open-sided slots are equipped with open metal bezels or grommets 65, in consequence of which the appertaining standard sections 30 may be pivoted to a 90-degree position relative to the panel and directly shifted outwardly of the top cavity through the appertaining sidewall passage 60T to the desired position and then turned further into the preferred angular attitude before the clamp is set, thus eliminating the necessity for removing the foot of the standard from the clamp (if it happens to be stowed in that condition, as depicted in FIGURE 2). The passages 60 in the sidewalls of the casing section may likewise be of the open-sided type 60T if desired, in which case the attachment of the sidewalls to the bottom panel of this section will be made suitably rigid to assure a rugged casing structure.

It will now be evident, in view of FIGURE 1 and the foregoing description of operation of the adjustably-footed standards 30, elevating rods 27, clamp means 3335 and 40, and eccentric bracket means 20, 22, 23, that the practice pads can be set in a wide selection of positions with respect to separation, elevation, and tilt, to suit the requirements of the individual artist.

The construction of the lid of the case is especially devised with respect to the thickness and resonant cathe pair of such clamps which pabilities of the material of the panel 12 thereof to afford a good sounding medium for the pedal-hammer 50 which strikes an anvil structure comprising a block of wood 54 having a compliant facing 55 of moderately dense foam rubber or the like cemented thereto, the block in turn being rigidly attached as by cementing, to the inner face of the lid or cover panel approximately centrally thereof. The necessary resonant qualities for the sounding panel 12 are afforded by using a three-ply laminated wood panel or artificial board of the class of tempered Masonite, the latter material being somewhat heavier than the wood in comparable thickness, but being preferred as the material for the drum pad discs 17, which may be relatively thin owing to the high density of the material, and which are also provided with a compliant facing 13F of foam rubber cemented thereto (FIGURE 4). The cymbal disc 21 will ordinarily have no pad or facing.

All of the practice pads and their supporting appendages can be stowed within the case after loosening their respective elevating footing and swivel clamp means, the foot pedal being releasably held in operative position by means of a simple angle cleat 58 (FIGURE 2) pivotally attached to the rear wall of the case member, as at 59, the pedal being slipped beneath this cleat and frictionally held thereby. The structural and functional parts of the pedal mechanism, apart from its action in utilizing a portion of the case as a simulated drum sounding head, per se form no part of the invention, there being a choice of such pedal devices 51 available commercially.

We claim:

1. A drum practice kit comprising the combination with a portable case means including a bottom case section having a wide supportive bottom wall adapted to rest upon a floor in the open operative condition thereof and having a top opening overlying said bottom wall, together with a top member movable from a closing relation with said top opening to an erected operative condition in predetermined angular relation with the bottom section in the aforesaid operative condition thereof; a plurality of drum practice pads each adapted to be supported by the case means in a predetermined array elevated above the level of said bottom section, said pads being adapted to fit for stowage within the case means in closed condi- .tiOn thereof; standard means for each drum pad and cooperative with the case means for supporting the pads operatively in said array in the open condition of the case means, said standard means likewise being stowable within the case means; first support means for supporting the standard means in adjustable positions relative to each other and the case and top sections; and second support means detachably and adjustably attaching each of said drum pads to an upper part of a corresponding standard means.

2. A practice kit according to claim 1 wherein said drum pads each comprise a thin substantially rigid disc, and each such disc is provided on one side thereof with bracket means forming part of said second support means, and

there is provided a further means also forming part of the second support means for adjustably interconnecting said bracket means with the upper part of the corresponding standard means as aforesaid.

3. The practice kit of claim 2 wherein said standard means includes two telescoping members, the first of which is removably supported by the said first support means and the second of which includes said upper part interconnecting with the bracket means, as aforesaid.

4. The construction defined in claim 3 wherein said bracket means is attached to the pad disc approximately centrally thereof and includes a flange disposed eccentrically of the disc center and forming part of said second support means, and wherein there is further provided a justing means removably and pivotally interconnecting said upper part of the standard means with said flange whereby the disc may be tilted to adjusted positions and shifted to at least one eccentric position relative to the axis of he standard means; and wherein there is further provided clamp screw means cooperable with the upper standard part and said flange for securing the disc in said tilted and shifted positions.

5. Portable drum kit apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said adjusting means includes complementary snap-in pin and bore means cooperatively disposed on the flange and upper standard part for separably and pivotally interconnecting the bracket means and standard means.

6. A drum practice kit according to claim 1 wherein said top member includes a panel section of area comparable to that of said bottom wall and having a rigidity affording a percussive sounding body, together with means in a central area of said panel affording a striking surface to receive percussive blows from a pedal hammer disposed within said case section.

7. The construction defined in claim 6 wherein said striking surface means comprises an anvil including a body capable of transmitting percussive energy imparted thereto and affixed to the inner side of said panel for transmitting such energy into the panel to simulate base drum and similar sound.

8. The kit set forth in claim 6 wherein there is provided a pedal mechanism and hammer means actuated thereby situated within said case section and said hammer means is disposed to strike said striking surface means responsive to actuation of the pedal mechanism.

9. A drum practice kit according to claim 1 wherein said standard means comprises a first and second telescoping member, said first member having an offset foot portion, wherein there is provided clamp means carried by both the case section and top member for adjustably securing the foot portion of an appertaining standard means in selected fixed positions to dispose the appertaining drum pad in selected position in said array, and wherein there is further provided clamp means cooperable with said first and second telescoping members for securing the same in selected telescoped relation.

10. A drum practice kit according to claim 9 wherein said bottom wall and said top wall have surrounding sidewalls; wherein passages are provided in certain of said sidewalls for entry therethrough of the foot portion of a. standard means; and wherein said clamp means which secures said foot portion is aligned with a corresponding sidewall passage so that said foot means can enter the case section from the exterior for operative engagement with the appertaining clamp means.

11. The construction set forth in claim 10 wherein at least one of said sidewall foot passages opens sidewise through the margin of the sidewall in which it is formed whereby the foot portion of the corresponding standard means and the adjoining portion thereof may be moved directly into the passage through said sidewall to adjusted pad supporting positions without necessity of passing said foot portion into the passage from the exterior of the sidewall.

12. A drum practice kit comprising a manually portable carrying case having a bottom section with a top opening and a top closure hingedly attached thereto, and means for maintaining the closure in a predetermined angular open condition relative -to the bottom section when the latter is resting in an intended operative condition on a floor surface with said top opening uppermost; a plurality of drum practice pads of disc-like configuration receivable for stowage within said bottom section and adapted to be supported in a predetermined operative array by the case in said operative condition thereof; a supporting standard for each practice pad and means adjustably interconnecting each pad with a corresponding one of said standards; bracket means carried by said carrying case for supporting said standards to dispose the same and the appertaining practice pads in positions of adjustment in said array; each standard having a foot portion adjustably engageable with said bracket means for pad support as aforesaid, with the foot portion disposed wholly within marginal confines of some part of the case, or partially within and partially without said marginal confines.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,722,860 11/1955 Pace 84411 2,893,283 7/1959 Ippolito 84-411 3,113,480 12/1963 Giarratano 8441l 3,264,926 8/ 1966 Belli 8441l RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner.

CHARLES M. OVERBEY, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A DRUM PRACTICE KIT COMPRISING THE COMBINATION WITH A PORTABLE CASE MEANS INCLUDING A BOTTOM CASE SECTION HAVING A WIDE SUPPORTIVE BOTTOM WALL ADAPTED TO REST UPON A FLOOR IN THE OPEN OPERATIVE CONDITION THEREOF AND HAVING A TOP OPENING OVERLYING SAID BOTTOM WALL, TOGETHER WITH A TOP MEMBER MOVABLE FROM A CLOSING RELATION WITH SAID TOP OPENING TO AN ERECTED OPERATIVE CONDITION IN PREDETERMINED ANGULAR RELATION WITH THE BOTTOM SECTION IN THE AFORESAID OPERATIVE CONDITION THEREOF; A PLURALITY OF DRUM PRACTICE PADS EACH ADAPTED TO BE SUPPORTED BY THE CASE MEANS IN A PREDETERMINED ARRAY ELEVATED ABOVE THE LEVEL OF SAID BOTTOM SECTION, SAID PADS BEING ADAPTED TO FIT FOR STOWAGE WITHIN THE CASE MEANS IN CLOSED CONDITION THEREOF; STANDARD MEANS FOR EACH DRUM PAD AND COOPERATIVE WITH THE CASE MEANS FOR SUPPORTING THE PADS OPERATIVELY IN SAID ARRAY IN THE OPEN CONDITION OF THE CASE MEANS, SAID STANDARD MEANS LIKEWISE BEING STOWABLE WITHIN THE CASE MEANS; FIRST SUPPORT MEANS FOR SUPPORTING THE STANDARD MEANS IN ADJUSTABLE POSITIONS RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER AND THE CASE AND TOP SECTIONS; AND SECOND SUPPORT MEANS DETACHABLY AND ADJUSTABLY ATTACHING EACH OF SAID DRUM PADS TO AN UPPER PART OF A CORRESPONDING STANDARD MEANS. 